Fire-service valve.



E. V. ANDERSON.

FIRE SERVICE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-3. l9l6.

1,2993% Patented Dec. 26,1916.

INVENTOH Zoe 24 M pnrrnn s ra rns ra rawr orrroa EDWARD V. ANDERSON, OF MONESSEN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. GOLDEN,

OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-SERVICE VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD V. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moness/en, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Service Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to valves for controlling the flow of liquids for fire service, and particularly to the type of valve by which the fire service is brought into play by the exhaust of pressure in an idle pipe line. a

The primary objects are to simplify and render more eflioient and certain the action of control valves, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention is illustrated in one form in the accompanying drawing, which is a central vertical section of the apparatus.

It is frequently convenient to maintain a supply of fire extinguishing fluid standing under pressure, with a connected series of empty pipes leading to the places where such as liquid is to be used in emergency, such pipes being filled only with air under small pressure and automatic means being provided for admitting the fire extinguishing fluid when the pressure in the empty pipes falls,

as by melting out of a fused plug, etc. Thus in the accompanying drawing, suppose the inlet pipe 1 leading from a tank 2 of fire extinguishing liquid, the valve casing 3 is provided with a perforated diaphragm 4 upon which is seated, in the direction of pressure, a valve 5 made in the form of a hollow cylinder of which the lower cylindrical extension 5 forms in conjunction with the cylinder 6 of the valve casing, a dashpot to cushion the valve on opening and closing movements. The valve body has a loose fit in this cylinder, and by leakage the space under the valve will be filled with fluid at the pressure existing in the inlet pipe 1.

4.5 The chamber (7 under the dashpot cylinder is closed by a small pilot valve 8 leading to the atmosphere by the ports (9) through the plug 10. This plug may conveniently carry a guide stem 11 and coil 950 spring 12 to assist in normally holding the valve 5 to its seat. It will be understood therefore that as long as the pilot valve 8 is closed the valve 5 will be held closed by the full pressure of the live side of the line.

The outlet end of the casing 13 will lead to the branch pipes located in position for extinguishing fire, and by any convenient means there will be maintained in this empty plpe and its branches a small air pressure (as for example by an inlet pipe 14, or any other wise.)

On top of the main valve casing 3 I place a supplemental casing 15 containing a dia phragm 16 and provided with a cylindrical portion 17 containing a loosely fitting plunger 18 which may be attached to the diaphragm 16. The casing has an arm and a clamp 19 holding a vertically arranged guide tube 20 in which is held a weight 21, conveniently supported between a stationary pin 22 in the tube 20, and a reciprocating pointed rod 23 normally urged away from contact with the ball 21 by a spring 24, but held to its place by the action of the bell cr'ank lever 25 whose short arm 26 rests upon the plunger 18 of the diaphragm 16 and is held by the pressure within the fire service plpes.

On a lug 27 at the bottom of the main valve casing 3, and supported on a pin 28, I arrange a lever 29 having'an extension 29 positioned directly beneath the outlet of the tube 20, the rear end of this lever 29*, standing directly under the stem 8, of the pilot valve 8. I also provide aweighted. bell crank lever 30 having a catch to support the lever 29 when it has been moved to raise its right hand end, as will be obvious. Under the left hand end of the lever 29, and conveniently supported on a bracket, 31 from the main valve casing, I place a supplemental small valve casing 32 having a check valve 33 formed with a cylindrical enlarged portion making a dashpot in connection with the casing and cap 34: and normally held closed by the live pressure on the inlet side 35 in conjunction with the coil spring 36. The cap 34 is provided with an outlet valve 37 whose stem is in position to be depressed by the lever 29.- The pipe 35 leads from a supply vessel 38 having a high pres sure fluid such as air designed to pass, through the pipe 39 to some part of the tank 2 in order to again supply any pressure lost therein, when the fire extinguishing liquid is drawn out through the main valve.

It will be apparent from'this construction that whenever, as by fusing of one of the customary fusible plugs in the sprinkler outlets of the fire service pipes, the pressure on the outlet side of the main valve casing 3 and therefore under the diaphragm 16 in casing 15, shall fall, the diaphragm 16 with its pin 18 will drop allowing the bell crank lever to move and withdraw the pin 23 under the influenqe of spring 24. This will release the weight 21 which, falling upon the lever extension 29, will tip up this lever and push in stem 8 of the pilot valve 8'thus releasing the pressure in the dashpot chamber (7) under the main valve and allow this valve to open completely. The right hand end 29 of the lever being engaged by the catch 30 and held in position will maintain the pilot valve 8 open and therefore insure the main valves remaining open. Immediately thereafter the downward movement of the left hand end of lever 29 will depress the valve 37 exhausting pressure under the supplementary valve 33 and allow it to open fully and remain open, thereby re-charging the tank 2 through the pipes 35 and 39 from the source 38. It will be observed that the main valve is operated by the pressure onthe high pressure side entirely, is cushioned in both of its movements, and is positive and prompt in its action, and having opened remains open. The use of the weight 21 insures prompt and certain action, and is an additional assurance of the lever 29 remaining in proper position to hold open both the main valve and the auxiliary pressure supply valve 33.

The simplicity and certainty of action is one of the primary advantages of my device.

Other advantages will readily occur to those familiar with the art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim is the following:

-- 1. A fire service valve comprising a casing provided with a perforated partltlon and a cylinder, of a hollow cylindrical valve body forming a dashpot with said cylinder, an outlet to the atmosphere from said dashpot,

- a pilot valve normally closing the same, a

suspended weight and associated devices adapted to open said pilot valve when the I weight drops, and means maintained by the pressure on the outlet side of the main valve casing to normally retain said weight in place, but to drop it immediately and sudtion, a lever in the path of said weight adapted when tripped by impact of the falling of the weight to open said outlet pilot valve, and a trip to maintain the pilot valve open when once opened by the falling of said weight.

b. A fire service valve comprising a casing and a main valve held closed by the inlet pressure, a trip device adapted to relieve said pressure, and a supplementary source of pressure and valve for re-supplying high pressure to the inlet side of the main valve, said supplementary valve being provided with automatic opening devices operated by the same trip device which operates to open the main valve, substantially as described,

4. A fire service valve comprising a casing having a cylinder, a valve body forming in conjunction with said cylinder a dashpot adapted to normally hold the valve closed, an escapelnent valve from said dashpot to the atmosphere, a suspended weight and means to open said escapement by dropping the weight, a pressure operated trigger device holding the weight normally suspended, and a supplementary pressure supply valve also operated by the dropping of said weight.

5. A fire service valve comprising a cas ing having a perforated partition and a cylinder, a hollow direct seating valve body in said cylinder forming therewith a pressure chamber, a relief valve from said chamber to the atmosphere, and a trigger supported suspended weight and associated devices adapted to open said relief valve by impact upon dropping of pressure on the outlet side of the main valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 

